diff --git a/src/codegen/sys/tests.rs b/src/codegen/sys/tests.rs
index e82e376d3..3a8648f8b 100644
--- a/src/codegen/sys/tests.rs
+++ b/src/codegen/sys/tests.rs
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ fn generate_abi_rs(
     writeln!(w, "use std::error::Error;")?;
     writeln!(w, "use std::ffi::OsString;")?;
     writeln!(w, "use std::path::Path;")?;
-    writeln!(w, "use std::process::Command;")?;
+    writeln!(w, "use std::process::{{Command, Stdio}};")?;
     writeln!(w, "use std::str;")?;
     writeln!(w, "use tempfile::Builder;")?;
     writeln!(w)?;
@@ -381,9 +381,11 @@ fn pkg_config_cflags(packages: &[&str]) -> Result<Vec<String>, Box<dyn Error>> {
     let mut cmd = Command::new(pkg_config);
     cmd.arg("--cflags");
     cmd.args(packages);
+    cmd.stderr(Stdio::inherit());
     let out = cmd.output()?;
     if !out.status.success() {
-        return Err(format!("command {cmd:?} returned {}", out.status).into());
+        let (status, stdout) = (out.status, str::from_utf8(&out.stdout)?);
+        return Err(format!("command {cmd:?} failed, {status:?}\nstdout: {stdout}").into());
     }
     let stdout = str::from_utf8(&out.stdout)?;
     Ok(shell_words::split(stdout.trim())?)
@@ -502,13 +504,15 @@ fn get_c_output(name: &str) -> Result<String, Box<dyn Error>> {
     let cc = Compiler::new().expect("configured compiler");
     cc.compile(&c_file, &exe)?;
 
-    let mut abi_cmd = Command::new(exe);
-    let output = abi_cmd.output()?;
-    if !output.status.success() {
-        return Err(format!("command {abi_cmd:?} failed, {output:?}").into());
+    let mut cmd = Command::new(exe);
+    cmd.stderr(Stdio::inherit());
+    let out = cmd.output()?;
+    if !out.status.success() {
+        let (status, stdout) = (out.status, str::from_utf8(&out.stdout)?);
+        return Err(format!("command {cmd:?} failed, {status:?}\nstdout: {stdout}").into());
     }
 
-    Ok(String::from_utf8(output.stdout)?)
+    Ok(String::from_utf8(out.stdout)?)
 }
 
 const RUST_LAYOUTS: &[(&str, Layout)] = &["####